Quilting progress

Sorry I don't have anything more fun to post but I have spent the entire week (including the Bank Holiday weekend) sat in front of my quilting frame.  All that time and I've managed 4 out of 31 centres.  I should mention that I actually have to go to work full time otherwise that statistic would make me cry.  Here's a picture of the pattern I decided to go with:

I couldn't find any way of marking up the patterns because all of the water soluble pencils and chalks stain the silk.  This means each block is stenciled onto tissue paper, pinned to the quilt, basted over the lines in a contrasting thread and then the paper peeled away.  Only then can the quilting begin.  On second thoughts, maybe 4 blocks in a week is good going - only 27 to go!

Let the quilting commence!

The quilt top is finished, the batting is layered and the design is chosen.  All there is left to do is find the time to quilt the Wedding Quilt.  I've never made anything bigger than a twin before so I think this is going to take some time.  From now until August if I'm not at work or babysitting, you will probably find me in my designated quilting seat (note ease of access to TV remote - essential)

Well here goes nothing ...

Sneaky Peek no. 2

My inner self is fighting between showing you what I've been up to and keeping the Wedding Quilt a secret but I'm going to give you a peek and hope that the bride to be doesn't look at my blog.  Hmmm... Maybe I should take the link off Facebook...

Weeks of driving myself crazy and spreading tiny fragments of silk all over the house has culminated in the centre of the top being finished.   I've added the first border to try and prevent some of the fraying.  Three more borders to go and I can start quilting.  I've been working on something special for the centre.  What do you think?

Sneaky Peak no. 1

After a marathon of cutting and sewing (and a little bit of swearing - the silk is NOT easy to piece) I now have 128 four-patch blocks and 128 triangle in square blocks.

I absolutely love the bright jewel colours of the silk and the crisp line you get when you press them but it is such a pain trying to cut with the pinking blade on the rotary cutter.  Trying to take a measurement from a wavy line is not ideal but it does leave you with adorable off-cuts:

It seems a shame to throw them away.